Self-cleaning spark-plttg



C. A. WELLMAN.

SELF CLEANING SPARK PLUG.

APPLICATION FILED mm. 19. m1.

Patented July 22, 1919.

ELVI/ a A I [If ATORNEY 1' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES A. WELLMAN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

SELF-CLEAN IN G SPARK-PLUG.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES A. WELL- MAN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Self-Cleaning Spark-Plugs; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the numerals of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to a spark plug with certain of the parts movable and capable of exterior adjustment whereby the interior portion of the plug may be cleaned to remove the accumulation of carbon or other deposit from within the plug and around the terminals which may tend to short circuit the plug.

It is an object therefore of this invention to provide a spark plug construction wherein one of the terminals within the spark plug is longitudinally movable therethrough and is so constructed that by such movement the insulation ortion such as the porcelain core of the ug as well as the ignition points thereof are effectually cleaned of accummulated carbon or other deposit thereon.

It is also an object of this invention to construct a self-cleaning spark plug with one terminal thereof actuable against spring stress from the exterior of the plug without necessitating detachment of the p ug from the motor to effectually clean the insulation element and spark terminals of the plug.

It is furthermore an important object of this invention to construct a self-cleaning spark plug adapted to be externally operated from the dash of a motor car to actuate movable mechanisms forming a part of said plug to effectually clean the interior of the plug.

Other and further im ortant objects of the invention will be evident from the disclosure in the drawings and specification.

The invention (in a preferred form) is illustrated in the drawings and specification.

On the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a motor equipped with spark plugs embodying the principle of my invention, showing an operating means therefor connected through the dash of a motor car in which the motor is mounted.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 22, 1919.

Serial No. 155,706.

Fig. 2 is an exterior elevational View of a plug detached from the motor.

F 3 is a top plan view thereof.

F g. l is a bottom plan view of the plug.

Fig. 5 is a central vertical section taken through the plug, showing an operating means therefor.

Fig. 6 is a similar view illustrating the parts 111 another position of adjustment.

Fig. 7 is a detail of a modified form of construction.

Fig. 8 is a detail sectional view of a modification.

As shown on the drawings:

The reference numeral 1, indicates as a whole a conventional type of 4=-cylinder internal combustion motor which may be mounted in any type of vehicle, the dash of which is merely shown diagrammatically and indicated by the reference numeral 2. l he spark plugs are all identical in construction and each consists of a shell 3, the lower external portion of which is threaded for engagement through the port plug in a cylinder. Held secured in sealing relation within said shell is a porcelain or other insulation tube 4, clamped inwardly therein by a gland member 5, and with suitable packing material provided at the meeting IEs)urfaces of the respective assembled memers.

Fitted within the insulation tube or core +1, is a soft metal tube or sleeve 6, which may be of brass or other conductive material, and mounted on the upper end thereof is a terminal post 7, whereby the ignition wire may be connected thereto. Extending slidablv through said metal sleeve 6, is a rod 8, the

lower portion of which is threaded, and has.

secured thereon a piston or 'plungerblock 9, held secured by a nut 10, said plunger 9, slidable against the interior wall of the lower portion of the tubular core 4. On the extreme lower end of said rod 8, is a spark terminal 11. A compression spring 12, is coiled about the upper end of the slidable rod 8, beneath the head thereof, and bears upon the upper end of said tube 6, to resist downward movement of said rod. Attached upon the lower end of the shell 3, is a U- shaped member 13, having a central aperture 14, therethrough, and provided with terminal points 15, extending inwardly from the threaded portion oi the rod 8. Upright hearing members 16, are secured upon the upper portion of the motor 1, and journaled thcrethrougli is a shaft 17, having a plurality of laterally extending crank arms 18, thereon, each disposed to bear upon the upper ends of the respective rods 8, of the spark plugs, as shown in detail in Figs. 5 and 6. Said shaft 17, extends through the dash 2, and is provided with a handle 19, on its inner end whereby the same may be actuated from the drivers position in the vehicle.

In the modified construction illustrated in Fig. 7, I have shown instead of the unitary plunger 9, a plunger made of a series of spring washers or rings 20, which are adapted to bear frictionally against the inner wall of the insulation element 4.

In the modified form of construction illustrated in Fig. 8, I have shown instead of the U-shaped member 13, wires 21, secured into the shell 3, which are bent outwardly and downwardly and around a sleeve 23, alincd beneath and adapted to receive the spark terminal '11, thrust therethrough.

The operation is as follows:

When it is desired to clean the spark plugs of the motor 1, the handle 19, is rotated to cause each of the respective cranks 18, on the'shaft 17, to swing downwardly from the position shown in Fig. 5, to the position shown in Fig. 6. This depresses the respective slidable terminal rods 8, of each of the spark plugs against the stress of the compression springs mounted beneath the upper ends of each thereof. When a rod 8, isinoved downwardly in a spark plug, the piston or plunger member 9, on the interior of the plug scrapes the interior surface of the lower end of the tubular insulating core 4, free of any deposit thereon, and the spark terminal 11, on the lower end of said rod is projected through the hole 14, thereby cleaning the spark terminal of any accumulation thereon. Furthermore, the threaded portion. of the lower end of said rod 8, which is only very slightly less in diameter than the space between the spark terminals, serves to clean the terminal points of any accumulation or deposit thereon.

Of course, release of the handle 19, crniits return of each of the respective rot s 8, of the spark plugs into normal position such as shown in Fig. 5, and the construction is such that the parts, when in this position, are in sealing relation. Furthermore, compression within a cylinder of the engine has a tendency to force the plunger or piston 9. upwardly, within the spark plug, thereby increasing the sealing pressure thereof upon the lower end of the metal tube 6.

It is unnecessary, of course, to provide a dash operating means for the spark plugs as each may be individually cleaned by merely depressing the upper projecting end of the rod 8.

The modifications illustrated in Figs. T and 8, show possibilities of variation in coustruction falling well within the scope of my invention and the o ierating Features tl1(l0- of are substantially the same as described for the preferred form shown in Fig.

I am aware that various details of construction may be varied through a wide range without departing from the principles of this invention, and I therefore do not purpose limiting the patent granted other wise than necessitated by the prior art.

I claim as my invention:

1. The combination with a spark plug provided with a slidable spring controlled terminal member, of a rotatable shaft, and a crank arm secured thereon and disposed to bear on the upper end oi said member, said shaft adapted to be rotated to swing said crank arm downwardly to cause depression of the member to clean the interior of the spark plug.

2. In a device of the class described a ilurality of spark plugs, each having a xed terminal, a movable terminal and cleaner, and rotatable means for moving all of said movable terminals and cleaners simulta neously to clean the spark terminals of all the plugs.

3. In a device of the class described spark plugs, a pair of terminals for each plug, an adjustable cleaner for the terminals of each plug, a rotatable actuating shaft. and a plu rality of members rigidly secured thereon for depressing the cleaners simultaneously to clean all the terminals of the spark plug 4c. The combination with a rotatable shaft, of an arm secured thereon, a spark plug enibracing a shell, a hollow insulating member in said shell, a metal tube in said insulating member, a rod extending thrmigh the tube and contacted by said arm, a piston on said rod for cleaning the interior of the insulating member, a fixed spark terminal, means on the rod for cleaning the fixed terminal, a movable spark terminal on said rod, and a fixed member for cleaning the same, sald shaft adapted to be rotated to swing said arm downwardly to cause depression of said. rod and the members formed thereon to clean the interior of said insulating member and said spark terminals.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHARLES A. IVELLMANI Witnesses:

CHARLES, W1 HILLS, EARL M. HARDINE.

Copies of this patentmay be obtained for five cents each. by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0. 

